Brendan Rodgers reckons Celtic were victims of a controversial ‘in or out’ guess on Saturday.
But there was no doubting this as the Hoops moved another step closer to getting across the line themselves. Goals from Daizen Maeda, Jota, Callum McGregor had the champions three ahead by half time before Hyunjun Yang and Maeda clinched a 5-1 victory to move 16 points clear with 10 games to go.
Incredibly this was them far from their best too as a performance littered with misplaced passes was lifted by clinical finishing. Aberdeen really should have been ahead early doors after passing up two huge chances. Oday Dabbagh stared down Kasper Schmeichel after just seven minutes but dallied and allowed the keeper to spread himself to reach Jeppe Okkels’ cutback. The Hoops No1 then breathed a sigh of relief when his attempted pass to Austin Trusty went straight to Kevin Nisbet but the striker’s first time effort slid just wide.
It was a sloppy from the hosts. Not the reaction to Saturday’s defeat Rodgers would have been after. But any home nerves were blown away after 24 minutes when Maeda slammed home goal number 24 of a remarkable season.
It arrived in fortuitous circumstances as Kristers Tobers sliced Arne Engles’ through ball right into the path of the Japanese ace who was first to react and hook past Ross Doohan. Five minutes later to was 2-0 and as good as game over as Jota’s sclaffed home his third goal back in the Hoops.
Aberdeen lost the ball deep inside the Hoops half and Nicolas Kuhn sent the Portuguese scampering down the left in a three on two against the Dons’ defence. The winger played in Engels before timing his run perfectly to meet the return 12 yards out. The finish was messy but Jota didn’t care.
McGregor put the game to bed right on half time when he stepped onto a loose ball on the edge of the box and bent a right footed effort beyond Doohan. It was desperately harsh on the Dons. But for all their positivity going forward they looked ropey at the back.
They were wasteful in attack too and sub Shayden Morris rolled wide after nicking the ball off Trusty after 63 minutes. And Hoops replacement Yang made it four when he slid past Doohan at his near post after being played in by Luke McCowan.
Celtic were a minute away from clinching a club record 10 home league clean sheets in a row when Morris played party pooper, latching onto sub Papa Gueye’s pass to beat Schmeichel at his near post. Still there was time for Celtic to have the final say as Maeda tapped home his 25th goal of the season from Alistair Johnston’s low cross.
Maeda magic starts and ends goal rush
Celtic gave the Dons an absolute lesson in finishing here led by their new found talisman Daizen Maeda who now sits on 25 goals for the season. Despite being uncharacteristically sloppy in possession at times they were too hot in front of goal for the Pittodrie men. The Hoops have firepower right across the pitch and there’s simply no other side that can compare in the Premiership.
It was proved again with strikes coming from a Maeda double, Jota, McGregor and Yang. The skipper’s ninth strike of the season moves him clear of Paul McStay in total goals in the Hoops. Take in the hauls from Nicolas Kuhn (18), Adam Idah (13) and Arne Engels (9) and it’s a remarkable sharing of the goals when judged against the third placed Dons whose top scorers Nisbet and Ester Sokler both sit on seven.
Brendan Rodgers went strong from the start – returning to the XI that started the draw against Bayern Munich – as he looked for a reaction to Saturday’s defeat at Hibs. The front three of Jota, Maeda and Kuhn gave the Aberdeen defence a torrid time although they were helped on more than one occasion by the dosy Dons. But that looks like Rodgers’ go-to front line for the big games now. Full of pace, movement and skill it’s a trio that would cause most backlines in Euro football a problem. The Hoops are now 16 points clear with 10 games to go and only the most optimistic Rangers fan would argue there’s life left in the title race.
Almost 10 in a row
Incredibly October’s 2-2 draw between these sides was the only time Celtic have conceded a Premiership goal at home this season before this latest clash with the Dons. A clean sheet here would have clinched a sensational club record of 10 home league shut outs in a row.
They were a couple of minutes away from doing just that before Shayden Morris slammed home a consolation past Kasper Schmeichel. It still tells the story of a side as strong at the back as they are sensational up front. Schmeichel had to be alert early on to thwart Oday Dabbagh. And the Hoops rode their luck at times as Kevin Nisbet shot wide of an open goal and Morris shot wide when clean through.
But there looked to be a desire to clinch the record as epitomised by Cameron Carter-Vickers emptying the tank to get back and close down Topi Keskinen when he burst through at 3-0. It looked like the record was broken – only for Morris to spoil the party. But champions are built on solid foundations and this Celtic rearguard has proved it’s as steady as they come.
Dons in red hot battle for third
Three victories on the spin had dragged Aberdeen right out of the doldrums after a disastrous 14-game winless Premiership run and while they won’t be judged on a defeat at Parkhead there were positives for Jimmy Thelin despite the scoreline. The Dons should have been ahead before Celtic scored but strike duo Oday Dabbah and Kevin Nisbet both passed up guilt-edged chances.
They were brave on the ball and pressed Celtic well, forcing errors while producing neat build-up of their own. They looked incisive right up to the business end – but unfortunately fell apart at the key moment. Dabbah looked lively in his first start and Topi Keskinen out wide looked back to his dangerous best as he got in behind numerous time.
Games are won in both boxes though and where Aberdeen were wasteful up top they gifted goals at the back where the new pairing of Kristers Tobers and Mats Knoester are still forming an understanding. It’s now a sorry 29 games without a win against the Hoops and Thelin’s side face a mammoth few weeks in the battle for third.
By tomorrow night they may have relinquished that spot to Dundee United – who they welcome to Pittodrie on Sunday. Hibs, Hearts and St Mirren are also beginning to close in as the battle for the lucrative best of the rest slot hots up.